I Shall Slay
by GoldenDoodleLover
Summary: AU. Straight-A student Armin is forced to join an underground rap battle competition in order to save his scholarship. He may be too straight-edged for a brutal verbal war at first but with the influence and guidance of his mentor (Levi) and his teammates (Eren and Annie), he will be able to prove that words are indeed mightier than a sword. Slight Aruani.
1. Special Assignment

A/N: I got this idea after marathoning Epic Rap Battles videos. Check them out on YouTube if you haven't. You'll be glad you did.

Disclaimer: I don't own Shingeki no Kyojin. Isayama Hajime does.

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><p>Armin Arlert hastily dropped his bike on the parking lot without chaining it up. He would take care of that later. Getting to Classroom 104 as soon as possible was of utmost importance. The echoes of his shoes hitting the ground seemed amplified as he tore through the empty hallways. The sound of it mocked him. He did not dare check his watch. It was pointless because he was aware that he was late. Very late. Again.<p>

Despite the loud creak of the door, nobody even turned to see who the latecomer was. They were either too focused on the english exam (Levi makes them deadly) or they already knew who it was. Of course it was Armin. Nobody else arrived thirty minutes late. The blond walked towards Levi's desk, sweating and catching his breath. He cringed. He would most likely be denied but trying would not hurt. Trying was a formality that you just don't skip in situations like this.

"Sir, please let me take-"

"Oh no. No no no, short stuff. This was your last chance, remember?" said Levi in a quiet voice.

Armin's face fell. He was so desperate that he would do anything to take that English Exam From Hell. He wanted to beg and cry in front of Levi. But he already did that before and Armin knew that doing it again would be pushing it. The english teacher had already given him way too many chances to make up for his tardiness and poor attendance and he failed to comply each time. The tears won't work on him this time. And so, Armin concluded that it was futile.

"Okay. I understand." he said with a dejected sigh.

"We shall discuss this later, Arlert. Come to the faculty room after class."

"Yes, sir."

A distressed Armin exited the room. Deep inside, he was already panicking. He was going to lose his scholarship. It was the only reason why he was still able to attend Shiganshina Academy. Heck, it was the only reason he could still attend school. He could not afford to lose it.

_Calm down and think._

Repeating the mantra, Armin made his way to the vending machines in the school garden. All that running earlier made him thirsty. After getting himself a bottle of water, he made his way to the benches. To his surprise, his seatmate, Annie Leonhardt, was there. Armin raised an eyebrow. She was the kind of student who slept in class and would skip three times a week but she would always show up whenever there was a quiz or an exam. She still cared about her grades somehow. Did she finally decide to go full-on delinquent? He did not really know much about her since she would always brush him off when he tried to strike up a conversation. Armin snuck up behind the girl and took a peek at what she was doing. Annie was scribbling poems on her notebook.

_Something for english class, perhaps? Wait. No. They're not just ordinary poems. They're... insults. Really nasty ones!_

Armin's eyes were skimming the entire page with intrigue when they landed on the verse at the bottom of the page.

_**I'd give the pep squad a ring 'cause bitch you're gonna get foiled.**_

_**You must be out of shit for flinging 'cause you're pulling a Freud.**_

_**Well guess what? Your shit backfired, now your rep is soiled**_

_**And you're choking on disclaimers while I slay you null and void**_

_**Yeah I might be the devil your ass-kissers avoid**_

_**Poor bastards don't know...**_

Annie's pen hovered above the page, unmoving. Her brows were knit together in concentration, oblivious to the world around her. Armin looked at her and back at the verse. He put a hand on his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm. A word that rhymes with 'avoid', huh?" he murmured.

Startled by the sound of his voice, Annie hastily closed the notebook and jammed it in her bag as if her life depended on it. She turned around to check the intruder's face and she seemed to relax a bit when she realized it was Armin.

"What, late again?" she inquired. Armin winced.

"Yeah." he said sheepishly. "Um, you're not taking the exam?"

"Are you?" said Annie.

"Mr. Levi won't let me. Looks like I'm going to fail English. What about you?"

Annie glanced at Armin and saw the distraught look on his face. She hesitated at first but decided to answer his question anyway.

"I was exempted."

Armin could not fathom how she could be exempted from the exam. Aside from the fact that she was a slacker, Levi liked seeing his students suffer. He would never exempt anyone from taking his notorious exams. There was something going on here.

"You're kidding."

She zipped her bag shut and stood up.

"I'm not. I'm getting an A+ in his class as a final grade."

"What did you do?"

"Why don't you ask him?"

As if to avoid further questions from the boy, Annie turned on her heel and swiftly walked away. Armin did not know why but the fog of worries in his mind seemed to have cleared up a little. Was this hope?

He felt as if he should thank Annie. Armin yelled after her.

"Annie! I think the word you were looking for is 'hemorrhoids!'"

Annie stopped walking as if a life-changing realization paused her entire being into a halt. She recited the now completed verse in her head.

_**I'd give the pep squad a ring 'cause bitch you're gonna get foiled.**_

_**You must be out of shit for flinging 'cause you're pulling a Freud.**_

_**Well guess what? Your shit backfired, now your rep is soiled**_

_**And you're choking on disclaimers while I slay you null and void**_

_**Yeah I might be the devil your ass-kissers avoid**_

_**Poor bastards don't know you got a secret called hemorrhoids.**_

_Huh. Makes sense._

Annie smiled in satisfaction and left the troubled boy behind her.

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><p>"Mind telling me why you were late again this morning?" Levi asked as he sprayed disinfectant on his desk.<p>

"Sir, it's my job. The manager won't give me another shift." Armin said.

"I thought you quit?"

"Well, I was going to, but then my grandfather broke an arm. He won't be able to work for a while so I have to shoulder paying all the bills and work overtime."

Levi stopped wiping his desk and stared at the boy.

"That's really unfortunate, Arlert. However, you have to understand that I can't even give you a passing grade anymore since you were absent from class more than half the time. It's school policy."

"Oh."

Armin was not sure if he should ask Levi about Annie's exemption. From the defensive way she acted around him earlier, he could tell it was a matter that was supposed to be confidential. Now he might be desperate but he did not want to get her in trouble just so he could save his scholarship. And then he remembered her words.

_Why don't you ask him?_

"Sir, I heard you're giving Annie Leonhardt an A+."

Levi's eyes narrowed. Armin heard him curse under his breath. "-just couldn't keep her trap shut, could she?" he muttered.

It was true. He really was going to give Annie an A+! Hope swelled in Armin's heart.

"I don't know how she earned it but whatever it is, I'm more than willing to do it."

Levi eyed his student for a moment. His usual frown contorted into a maniacal smile.

"Uh, I mean, I'd do it as long as it's not illegal or... indecent in nature." Armin amended.

The teacher rolled his eyes. He scanned his surroundings, checking for eavesdroppers. When he was sure no one was within hearing range, he leaned in towards an uneasy looking Armin. He spoke in a low voice.

"Fine. I'm giving you one final chance. But before I do, I have to check if you're cut out for this. It's an A+ that's at stake here after all. More than that, actually. So I'd take this seriously if I were you. You hear that?"

Armin nodded, looking determined.

"Alright. What I want you to do is to write a rhyming poem that takes thirty seconds to read. No more, no less."

"Can it be about anything?" Armin asked.

"No. It should be about me. Now, I want you to insult me in the most cutting and witty way possible in that poem. Don't hesitate to use swear words. In fact, I highly encourage you to use them."

Armin was both baffled and horrified.

"I-I don't know, sir. That seems really, um, disrespectful."

"Goddamnit Arlert. It's not disrespectful if I'm the one who asked you to insult me in the first place. Do you want the A+ or not?"

"Yes!"

"Then just fucking do it. Show it to me after school. I'll be in the music room with the other members of the team."

"Yes, sir! I'll work on it right away, sir!"

"Oh and Arlert, do not tell anyone about this. Understood?"

Later at lunch, Armin was bombarded with questions by his two worried bestfriends. He appreciated Eren and Mikasa's concern although he wished sometimes they would just give him some space. He could solve his own problems after all.

"Dude, if there's anything we can do to- what are you doing?"

Eren leaned over the table to see what his friend was doing. Armin stopped writing and hastily closed the notebook sitting on his lap. He had been busy composing that poem ever since Levi dismissed him from the faculty office. He did not know why but for some reason, he wasn't allowed to tell anybody about the strange homework.

"Er, I'm writing an essay for Mr. Levi's class." he lied.

"Oh, okay. Need a hand?"

"Eren, if he's having trouble with homework you're the last person he'd ask help from." Mikasa deadpanned.

"What, you think you and Armin are the only ones who can excel academically?"

Eren gritted his teeth. It was so easy to rile him up. "For your information, I'm getting an A+ on Levi's class!"

"Good for you." Mikasa said.

Three tables away, Annie set her tray down on an empty table. It was because of her that Armin still had a shot at saving his scholarship. He stood up and made his way towards the lone girl. Eren noticed his friend leaving.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Annie looked up and raised an eyebrow at Armin. The boy had suddenly taken a seat opposite her.

"Uh, hey. I just wanted to say thanks." he said.

"What for?"

"You know. For telling me about Mr. Levi's special assignment."

Annie rolled her eyes.

"I didn't tell you anything. I just dropped a hint and you happened to know what to do with it. Thank yourself for not being a dumbass."

What she said was true but Armin was convinced that if he had not encountered her earlier that day then things would have gone differently. More importantly, did she just compliment him?

"That's true but still, I want you to know that I really appreciate-"

"For fuck's sake, spare me the sappy details. I get it."

"O-okay." he stammered.

_Tch. Too submissive._

Harshfully digging her fork into the plate of pasta in front of her, Annie waited for the boy to leave her alone. Eren and Mikasa had been watching them from afar the whole time. They looked like parents who got separated from their child at a mall. Annie thought they looked utterly pathetic.

Contrary to what she was expecting, Armin did not head back to sit with his overprotective friends. Instead he opened his notebook and began writing. When she saw what he was doing, her interest grew.

"Let me see it."

"Huh?"

She pointed at his notebook. "You don't mind, do you?"

Armin shook his head vigorously. "No! Not at all. In fact, I could use your advice since you seem to be more experienced at this than I am." His mind wandered back to the verse he saw in her notebook that morning.

Armin anxiously watched her as her bored eyes pored over what he wrote.

"So... What do you think?" he asked expectantly.

"It sucks." she declared bluntly as she handed him back the notebook.

"Oh." Armin was at a loss for words. That tiny hope within him had been crushed by the same person who gave it to him in the first place. It was still too early to lament though.

"Then, what do you suggest I do to improve it?" he asked.

It was only there for a second or two but the twisted smile that graced Annie's lips unexplainably made Armin panic.

"Asshole up." she said.


	2. Mr Levi Ain't So Fly

Armin read through his poem ten times and made last-minute revisions. The last thing he wanted was Levi rejecting his poem just because of a misspelled word or wrong use of punctuation. By the time he was finished, everybody had already left the classroom. Armin gathered his things and made his way to the music room. When he arrived, the sight of Eren surprised him. Levi was the first to notice him arrive.

"Ah, there you are. You did what I asked you to do?" he said as he lounged lazily at the teacher's desk, making big cross marks on test papers.

Eren's eyes widened in shock.

"Armin! What are you doing here?!" he asked.

"He's trying out for the team. Better keep your mouth shut though. He doesn't know anything yet." Levi said. He turned to Annie who was sitting distantly in a corner and shot her a glare. "Or does he?"

"He's clueless." she replied nonchalantly.

"For your sake, he better be."

Armin took out the poem from his bag and walked towards the teacher's desk.

"Here's the poem, sir." he said, handing Levi a sheet of paper.

"Read it out loud." he replied with a wave of a hand.

The boy tensed up. He was not expecting this.

"H-huh? But-"

"Don't worry. The room's soundproofed so you can swear at me all you like and no one outside will hear."

_That's not the point, _Armin thought. The setup was so wrong that it bothered him: he, a student, was going to diss a teacher. In their face. Normally, that was something students do behind the latters' backs. If they get caught, the punishment would usually be detention, suspension, or worse, expulsion. Never in a million years did Armin imagine that he would be doing something like this for grades.

"Go for it, Armin." Eren urged.

There was no choice but to do it. Armin knew that. He'd just get on Levi's bad side if he told the man that he did not want to read the offensive poem. It was a known fact that Levi despised people who acted like divas. Student or teacher, it did not matter. If they so much as show any sign of pretension, Levi would carry out retribution accordingly.

_It's do or die._

And so began a most half-hearted reading of "Mr. Levi Ain't So Fly".

_**"Watch as I put this midget in his place.**_

_**Once I'm done you'll be worshipping this ace.**_

_**You're angsty 'cause your life has been a waste**_

_**You're thirty still stuck in a teenage phase**_

_**You ain't so badass. You're just a phony.**_

_**Dude, you look like you smoked one too many.**_

_**Tell people you're a burglar and swindler**_

_**Bet they'll fall for it hook line and sinker**_

_**You're a sorry excuse for a teacher**_

_**L'il sir, where's your resignation letter?**_

_**If I stole your job, nobody will know**_

_**Watch me get paid more, my sullen fellow**_

_**Who's a clean freak? You ain't so spick and span**_

_**Your mouth spews trash like it's a garbage can**_

_**Think you're cool for dropping a bomb or two?**_

_**Tell you what, with all due respect-"**_

A cold shiver ran down Armin's spine the moment that word entered his line of vision. It was THAT word; the one word that did not exist in his daily vocabulary. It was a word that sounded like books being ripped apart, lockers being kicked and test tubes crashing on the floor. He just could not bring himself to say it.

"With all due respect... Umm..."

"What?" Levi taunted him.

"It's just a poem." Annie said. "Say it."

Armin knew she was right. Profane or not, it was just that. A poem. More importantly, was she rooting for him?

With all the courage he could muster, he recited the last line of the poem in the most assertive yet dignified way he could.

"Tell you what, with all due respect f-fuck you!"

Mr. Levi let out a whistle. Armin could only hope that that was a sign of his approval. He saw his friend, Eren flash a proud grin and a thumbs up at him.

"So? What do you think?" Eren asked Levi.

"Not bad," he said, "but not good either."

"Well is he in the team or not?" Eren asked impatiently.

"Hmm. He definitely knows how to rhyme and his vocabulary's surprisingly good."

"Uh, thanks." Armin said, flattered. He was quite proud of his expansive vocabulary.

"Don't misunderstand, Arlert," Levi countered. "That's my problem right there. I'm looking for someone with a wide bad word vocabulary. That shit you got is tame. Hell, it almost sounds... tactful. I'm not even gonna get started on your delivery."

At this, Armin's shoulders hung and he looked more dejected than ever. Why did he even try? He had never in his life badly insulted another person. It was just not in his nature. He should not have even attempted to do it in the first place.

"Geez, you didn't have to be so forward about it." Eren said, throwing concerned glances at his friend. Armin knew the other boy felt sorry for him and it made him feel worse.

"Well if he can't handle blunt criticism then he's probably not cut out for this. You are aware of the nature of this... discipline, yes?"

Eren fell silent. Meanwhile, apart from feeling the self-disappointment set in, Armin grew more and more curious.

_Just what kind of 'discipline' required a person to have both an impressive bad word vocabulary and a tough exterior?_

Then Annie spoke up.

"Can I throw my two cents in?" she said.

Levi raised an eyebrow. Annie was not usually one to give an opinion about anything. Her speaking up was a surprise to everyone in the room.

"I'm listening." said Levi.

"I propose we recruit him into our team."

"I don't think you heard me-"

"What you say is true. This guy didn't do so hot with his half-assed delivery. But you can't just dismiss the fact that he does have a way with words" she said firmly.

Armin did not know why Annie, eternally-unimpressed-Annie, kept giving him the push. Regardless, it was something he definitely needed.

"Also," she continued, "he got his facts straight. You are a midget and a sorry excuse for a teacher."

Armin's eyes widened with shock. How can she just say that?! Eren on the other hand, turned his back to Levi, trying hard to suppress a laugh.

"What the hell are you getting at?" Levi said. His expression was unreadable.

"My point is, you're our coach," Annie motioned to Armin with her chin, "and this guy's got the guts and potential. Judging from your bravado, you must be pretty skilled. You should have no problem whipping people like him into shape, then."

She paused in reconsideration.

"Or are you actually a sorry excuse for a coach, as well?"

Levi stared at her and she gave him a blank look in return. He looked as if he was actually considering her proposition- no, her challenge. Armin could only keep his fingers crossed.

"Fine." Levi sighed in defeat. "But if he's not making any progress, he's gonna have to go."

Armin couldn't believe it. He felt as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He might just be able to keep his scholarship after all! Well, there's still the possibility that they might kick him out of the group but that was a scenario that could be avoided. Of course he was going to do his best in order to stay.

"Don't go celebrating yet, Arlert. Your A+ is tentative until you meet ALL my expectations." Levi told him.

Eren gave his best friend a pat on the back.

"Welcome to the team, Armin."

Once again, he was saved by Annie and he felt truly grateful. He smiled at her but something outside the window seemed to be much more interesting to her than his small success because she was blankly gazing at the sunset stained outdoors.

He was about to approach her when Levi caught their attention.

"Alright, listen up. Here's the deal. You three will be competing in the Annual Underground Diss Battle of Titansville. Each school in the city has their own representative team headed by a mentor assigned by the Royal Underground Academic Rhymin' Society of Titansville. As you already know, I am your mentor and I will be guiding you all throughout the competition. What now, Jaeger?"

Eren lowered his raised hand.

"You're telling me that this... Royal Rhyming Society is an actual thing?" he said.

"First of all, drop the 'g'. It's Rhymin' Society. Second, There are many clandestine organizations that exist outside the general public's eye. This is one of them. Nobody knows about the annual diss battle except the facilitators and those who are involved in the actual battle themselves. Consider yourselves 'the lucky chosen few.'"

Eren looked like he was having a hard time processing what Levi just said. Armin didn't blame him. It all sounded so unreal. Ridiculous, even.

"Goddamn, I wonder who funds these things," said Eren.

"Moving on, the opening ceremony of the diss battle will be held this coming Saturday evening. That's when you'll find out who you'll be up against. I'll explain the details and assign your tasks tomorrow after school. Are there any questions?"

Armin's hand shot in the air.

"Yes, Arlert."

The blond boy hesitated for a moment but decided that now was a good time to ask. Nobody had enlightened him yet about what exactly he was getting himself into.

"What's a diss battle?" he asked.

Levi blinked, waiting for the punch line but the boy remained silent, waiting for an answer. The former grabbed the small pile of unmarked test papers on the desk and fanned himself with it. He sure as hell had his work cut out for him.


	3. Lessons With Levi: Beat

A/N: It's been more than a week since I last updated and now I'm back with a filler chapter. A FILLER CHAPTER. AFTER A WEEK. AWW YEEAAAH. I've been really busy with job interviews during the past week. That and the current Love Live event has awakened the competitive spirit in me. I'll try to update faster though because the fact that there are people following this story haunts me and nags at me to write more. It's weird. xD

A shout out to those who took the time to review so far. Y'all make my day. Thankies.

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><p>"Again. From the top."<p>

Levi pressed the triangle button on the CD player sitting on top of the teacher's desk and a slow, steady beat coupled by a cyclical melody began to play.

For the 12th time that day, Armin began his rap.

"Sittin'_ here, chillin'_

_'Cause there ain't nobody willing-"_

"Stop." The teacher turned the music off and gave his student a reproachful look.

"What did I say?" he asked.

"L-listen to the beat. Wait for the right moment, then, um, spit out the rhymes." said Armin, feeling small under Levi's annoyed glare.

"That's right. You fuck up your entry, you're gonna fuck up 'til the end. Let's try that again."

Levi hit the play button and the music started.

_"Sittin' here, chillin'-"_

Stop.

"Again." said Levi.

_"Sittin' here-"_

Stop.

"Pull your shit together, Arlert. We can't keep doing this all day. There's still a lot you need to work on." said Levi.

Eren saw his friend hold back the sparkling tears welling up in his eyes. He couldn't remember a time when Armin broke the rules or struggled with his studies. Being reprimanded like this was probably new to him.

"Uh, sir, maybe we should take a break." Eren suggested, giving his friend a worried look.

"We'll take a break after he does this right. This shit is basic. He should be able to get it down after a few tries. Again."

Eren's shoulders sagged. Just watching the scene before him made him feel exhausted. Not only that, he also felt bad for Armin.

The music began once more. Armin was silent for a moment, waiting. And then, he attacked.

_"Si-"_

Stop.

Levi closed his eyes and put a hand to his forehead.

"What are we doing here, Armin? Really. You can't keep fucking up like this."

And then the tears fell.

"I-I'm so sorry, sir. I... I'm trying but-" he said, sniffling and wiping his eyes.

"Sorry isn't going to cut it. We want results here but I'm not seeing any. And if I don't see any soon then I'll be forced to kick you off the team."

Eren gave Levi a livid look.

"Levi," he said firmly, "I think you're going too far."

"I might be, Jaeger. I might be. But I'm trying really hard not to just leave him on the side of the road because..." Levi paused. He did not need to explain.

"L-let me try again, sir!" Armin said.

"No. That's enough for today. I'm tired. We all are. We'll continue this tomorrow. Same place, same time. Now leave." he said, slashing huge check marks on students' essays with his red pen.

Eren threw his hands in the air as if in surrender. Grabbing his backpack, he walked up to his still weeping friend. He gave Armin a friendly pat on the back.

"Hey. You wanna go to that new crepe place Mikasa was talking about? My treat." he said consolingly. Then he reconsidered. That would just make Armin feel worse.

"Or maybe you want to treat me instead. Hell. I won't be saying no to a free crepe. Hehehe."

Eren chuckled, hoping to lighten up the mood. Armin recognized his friend's attempt to make him feel better so he wiped his tears and acknowledged the offer.

"A-alright. I'll treat you. Let's go." he said, hastily making his way to the door.

Later that afternoon, a depressed Armin bought a Salted Caramel crepe for himself and a Triple Chocolate crepe for Eren. It was the guiltiest chocolate crepe Eren ever had.


	4. Chaperone

A/N: In order to quicken the pacing a bit, Team Levi's training sessions will be in the form of short filler chapters.I'll be labelling those as "Lessons with Levi" for now. Maybe someday I'll come up with a more creative name...

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><p>Armin turned off his computer and ran through his checklist again.<p>

1. **Remove all incriminating photos and posts on the internet.** Armin did not really use social networking sites that much so there was nothing to delete. Check.

2. **Don't wear stupid clothes or anything that would make you stand out too much.** He was wearing a plain white shirt, dark denim jeans and casual sneakers. A safe ensemble, he thought. Check.

3. **Don't do or say anything stupid in the presence of competitors.** Armin still wasn't sure what Levi considered stupid. Still, he would try to be careful with his actions and words during the opening ceremony. So check.

4. **Don't tell ANYBODY about the annual diss battle and avoid talking about it with your teammates.** Sure, he can stay quiet about it. Check.

5. **Ask permission to go out. Lie if you have to but never go AWOL.**

Armin never really liked lying, especially to his grandfather. However, he knew that bending the truth was sometimes necessary. Still, he wished he did not have to deceive anyone.

He lit up a match stick and burned the checklist. It was best to erase all potential evidence. The diss battle was not a secret that was only for him to keep after all. It was a secret he shared with several others and he did not want to be the one who would mess up and expose that secret.

It bothered Armin why Levi kept stressing the importance of the whole thing being kept confidential. Why go to all that trouble? It was just a diss battle after all. People from all over the world participate in those. It's not like it was something illegal.

Armin snatched his backpack from his bed and made his way to the living room where his grandfather was watching the news. Every evening, the old man would usually be out working as a pianist at The Garrison, a popular jazz bar in town. But ever since he broke an arm, he had been staying at home every evening.

"Hey grandpa, I'm going to study for entrance exams. I'll be back before midnight" said Armin, uttering the words a little too quickly.

His grandfather's brow furrowed in concern.

"Alright. Don't overwork yourself though. I know things have been difficult for you lately," he said. The old man gave his casted arm a jerk and smiled bitterly. "Sorry I couldn't help out."

Armin forced a smile.

"Don't worry. It's nothing I can't handle," he said reassuringly. "Though you really should recover soon, grandpa. I heard that the regulars down at The Garrison were not too thrilled with Hannes', um, avant-garde piano-playing."

The old man chuckled at this.

"Guess I should take your advice and take it easy then." he said. Then his expression shifted into something mischievous.

"Best you head on out now. Wouldn't want to keep your 'study buddy' waiting."

"Who? Eren? Yeah, he tends to lose his patience easily, doesn't he?"

His grandfather looked at him with discerning eyes and Armin felt a knot in his stomach start to form. Ever since he was a kid, his grandpa always knew when he was hiding something. The boy always wondered if it was because he was too transparent or the old man just knew him too well that he could tell a bluff from a lie.

"Well. I better go now. See you later, grandpa."

"Bye, m'boy. Stay safe, you hear me?!"

Armin's thoughts drifted as he zipped through town on his bicycle. During the past few days, the team (sans Annie, who preferred to practice alone) had been meeting after school at the music room. He and Eren would brainstorm, write lyrics and recite their diss in time to a beat while Levi tried to tear apart their efforts. He was very strict, particularly with Armin. Everytime the blond messed up, which was often, Levi would go off on him like a land mine and make him repeat from the top. The whole experience did not exactly give him a self-esteem boost but he noticed that the more Levi berated him, the more he became desensitized making it easier for him to hold back the tears.

Annie's challenge had undoubtedly aroused something within Levi. Not only was the man much harsher on him than on Eren, Armin now had to meet much higher standards in order to get his A+. Unlike Eren and Annie who automatically earned the high grade by simply joining the competition, he was expected to win at least two battles before Levi gave him the grade. This was quite unfair but he knew that he was in no place to complain. It was, after all, better than having no way of saving his scholarship.

Armin slowed down as he approached Cafe Maria, the coffee shop where he worked part time at, and the team's meeting place. After chaining his bike near the shop's back door, he made his way to the outdoor tables set in front of the cafe. Eren waved at him. He was sharing a table with Annie and...

_Is that Mikasa?_

"Yo," Eren greeted him. One look at his face and Armin could tell the other boy was having a bad day. It was evident why from the annoyed glances he threw at the dark-haired girl beside him.

"You ready for Levi's tutoring session?" Eren asked cautiously.

"Y-yeah, I guess... Um, hi Annie."

Armin gave the girl a friendly smile and she retuned the gesture with a nod. Then he turned to Mikasa who was contentedly sipping on a protein shake.

Armin deduced that she followed Eren to their meeting place. That was not good. Levi had so thoroughly reminded them to never involve any 'outsiders'. He would definitely not be thrilled to see Mikasa with them.

"Uh, hi Mikasa. How's the shake?" he asked her.

"Pretty good."

Eren laughed nervously.

"Well it better be good, alright. It costs five freaking dollars!" he said.

Armin checked his watch. Levi would be arriving anytime soon. They had to find a way to make Mikasa leave or else they will suffer the teacher's wrath.

Eren saw the urgency in his friend's eyes and knew he had to do something about the situation as soon as possible. Rising up from his chair, he took Mikasa by the wrist.

"Okaaaay. I bought you your five dollar shake so you can go home now, Mikasa. Goodbye!" he said in a rising tone.

"But I haven't finished yet."

Just then, a black car with dark-tinted windows stopped in front of the cafe with a small screech, and Levi emerged from the driver's seat. He called out to them and his eyes narrowed into slits when he saw four teenagers walk up to his car.

Armin, Eren and Mikasa squeezed themselves into the backseat while Annie took the right front seat. Doors closed and an awkward silence filled the air.

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"Somebody please tell me what the fuck Ackerman is doing in here" he said.

Eren groaned, slapping a palm against his own face.

"Look. Just for the record, I didn't ask her-"

Mikasa lifted a hand, shutting him up.

"I'm his chaperone," she said.

Eren shook his head vigorously.

"No. No, you're not. She's not. She followed me here!"

The girl looked away, tugging at her red scarf.

"I just want to make sure you're not getting yourself into any sort of trouble."

Eren scoffed.

"What trouble? It's just a tutoring session! See, there's even a... a responsible adult present. And who the heck brings a chaperone to a study session anyway?!"

"It's just that," Mikasa glanced at Armin's backpack, "you didn't bring anything for studying at all. Not even your text books."

Eren's angry expression morphed into a confused look.

"... What?"

Armin did not notice it earlier since he was too startled to find Mikasa with the other two back at the cafe but now that she had mentioned it, he realized that Eren forgot to bring his books, or as Levi liked to call them, 'props'. Armin gulped. Based on how the conversation was going, he could tell that their act was about to fall apart.

"All those times you purposefully disappeared after school... You didn't really study for entrance exams, did you? Why did you lie, Eren?"

Eren's face paled and his mouth hung open. He tried to conjure up alibis in his head but he knew that Mikasa, sharp as she was, would never believe any of his pathetic excuses. To his relief, Levi spoke up.

"Listen, Mikasa. Eren is safe with me and I won't let him run around causing a shit storm. So please, stop worrying."

"If you guys aren't really up to something shady, then let me go with you."

"Just let it go. What I do is none of your business." said Eren.

Levi snapped at him. "Shut up, Jaeger."

"Sorry. You can't come but I assure you he'll be back before midnight. I might not be the best role model out there but I'm still your teacher and I don't tolerate kids involving themselves in shady business. So please, stop worrying so much and go home."

"I'm not going anywhere. Not until you tell me where you're headed."

"Not far. Don't worry."

"Where exactly?"

"It's classified."

Mikasa met Levi's intimidating look through the rear view mirror. The girl immediately understood the meaning behind his gaze. It was a look that said: "For your own sake you better stop prying. Or else."

Message received. Then and there, Mikasa decided that the wisest thing to do is to not get herself involved further and to get out of there ASAP. But she wasn't going to walk out alone.

"Fine. I'll leave. But Eren and I are a package deal. If you won't let me go then he won't either."

Eren was outraged.

"What the fuck, Mikasa?!"

"Damn. That's the funniest joke I've heard the entire month." said Annie condescendingly.

"That's surprising. You look like you've never heard a joke your entire life." replied Mikasa.

"That the best you can do?"

"No. I was just joking around. Wait 'til I'm serious. You'll die laughing."

She held Eren's wrist in a vice grip and opened the car door.

"Let's go, Eren."

"Ow! Goddamit let me go! Levi, do something!"

"Wait." Levi called out, turning on his seat so that he could see the two teens who, at the sound of his voice, immediately stopped their ruckus.

"Ackerman."

"What?"

"Eren can go if I let you tag along, right?"

"Yes..."

"Fine, then. You can come with. But I'm going to have to ask for your cooperation on-"

"Let me get things straight. I don't care what you guys are up to. You can go do whatever and you won't hear a peep from me. But if this is something dangerous or illegal, I'm going to have to go home,"

She tightened her grip on Eren's wrist which ellicited a yelp from the boy.

"And I'm taking you with me." she said to him.

"Tch. Fair enough." Levi replied. "You got yourself a deal. Now, please. Get your asses in the car."

And that was that.

* * *

><p>When Levi had told them that the venue of the battle would be 'Da Crib', it got Armin curious. What sort of place was Da Crib? Is it a stadium shaped like a cot? Is it a nursery's auditorium? He and the others asked about it on the road but everytime they did, Levi would tell them in a bored voice, "It's better if you see it with your own eyes."<p>

Now that Armin was seeing the imposing structure's facade, its elegant ebony double doors and the majestic columns lined up in a row, his mind outright rejected what his eyes were telling him. Nothing made sense. Levi told them that they would be attending the opening ceremony for the diss battle.

So what were they doing outside Titansville City Hall?

Perhaps Levi could tell that the teens were perplexed because right when they were about to fire questions at him, he took quick long strides towards the main entrance.

"Just follow me" he told them.

They passed by the entrance guards who, to Armin's surprise, wished them good luck. He figured that they knew about the diss battle. Maybe the venue of the battle was the city hall after all, he thought. That, however, seemed unlikely because the place was completely deserted.

Levi stopped in front of one of the gigantic paintings along a corridor. The portrait titled "The Governesses of Humanity" depicted a scene where three women wearing garish dresses and stern looks on their faces, watched over a baby sleeping in a crib. The teacher tapped at a certain point on the elaborate frame and a clear '_ding!' _emanated from the painting as it slid to the side, revealing a room which looked to Armin like an elevator.

"Woah." Eren breathed. "This is just like the movies."

"Yeah." Armin nodded, starry-eyed. "I knew they existed but I never thought I'd actually get to see one of those hidden rooms I read about in mystery novels."

"What are you guys standing there for? Hop on or we're gonna be late." said Levi impatiently.

When all of them were inside the elevator, Levi pressed the button with the letters 'DC' on them and they began their descent. During the ride down, Levi pulled out a white piece of cloth from his pocket and masterfully tied it around his neck. He did it so quickly it was as if he had been doing it for many years. When Eren saw the cravat, he did his best to conceal his laughter in a fit of coughs. Mikasa rubbed his back until he finally recovered. This gesture made Annie roll her eyes.

It took an entire minute before they finally heard the ding sound from before, and the door swung open. What greeted them was a small, empty-looking lobby. The only notable things about it were the huge double doors at the back of the room and the two buff men in black guarding them. Levi whipped out an ID card and showed it to one of the bouncers. The man examined it for a moment, nodded and gave his comrade a thumb-up. The other man then lifted a walkie-talkie to his mouth.

"Sweeper and Co. have arrived. We're complete." he said.

The bouncers then opened the doors in synchrony.

"Welcome to Da Crib, you guys."


End file.
